New Online Service PriceLocal Gives Local Merchants A Fighting Chance Against Amazon

A new online shopping service developed by ex-Borders exec Matt Chosid gives local retailers a chance to compete directly against Amazon.

The service, dubbed PriceLocal, resides on shoppers’ desktops as a Chrome, Firefox or Safari browser extension, and allows them to send a one-click price-match request to participating merchants after selecting an item on Amazon.com.

Shoppers then receive a coupon if a local store has the item and is willing to match Amazon’s price.

Items are limited to those eligible for free Amazon Prime shipping, to avoid any confusion over price comparisons that include shipping charges, although neither shoppers nor retailers need be members of the Amazon loyalty program.

Chosid said the service helps drive shoppers back into local stores, providing same-day pick-up, up-sell opportunities, and support for area businesses.

The service is free for both consumers and merchants, and is now launching nationwide following a “wildly successful pilot” last year in Ann Arbor, Mich., and expansion last month into Minneapolis, Charlotte, N.C., and Austin, Texas.